Method for setting gem stone in semi-precious stone

ABSTRACT

A method for setting a gem stone in a semi-precious stone, capable of achieving an easy setting and thereby greatly reducing the labor and the work time. The method includes the steps of preparing a gem stone having a girdle and upper and lower tapered surfaces disposed above and beneath the girdle, preparing a semi-precious stone including an upper semi-precious stone piece having a hole provided with an upwardly-tapered contact surface having the same taper angle as the upper tapered surface of the gem stone and a lower semi-precious stone piece having a hole provided with a downwardly-tapered contact surface having the same taper angle as the upper tapered surface of the gem stone, fitting the gem stone in the hole of the lower semi-precious stone piece such that the lower tapered surface thereof is in contact with the contact surface of the lower semi-precious stone piece, and bonding the upper semi-precious stone piece to the lower semi-precious stone piece such that the contact surface of the upper semi-precious stone piece is in contact with the upper tapered surface of the gem stone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for setting accessaries suchas rings and ear rings with gem stones and semi-precious stones.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In many cases, gem stones such as diamond, ruby, sapphire and the likeare set in a background of semi-precious stones such as onyx, cubiczirconia stone, turkey stone, lapis stone and the like so as to provideaccessaries with better ornamental beauty.

In order to set a gem stone such as a diamond in a background ofsemi-precious stone, a soft metal member has always been used as asetting member for the gem stone and the semi-precious stone.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional method using such a soft metalmember for setting a gem stone in a semi-precious stone. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a gem stone 10 is machined to have upper and lowertapered surfaces disposed above and beneath a girdle 11. A semi-preciousstone 20 having a plate shape is also provided. The semi-precious stone20 is machined to have a central hole 21. A ring member 30 made of softmetal is also provided for setting the gem stone 10 in the semi-preciousstone 20. The metal ring member 30 is firmly fitted in the central hole21 of the semi-precious stone 20. The metal ring member 30 is providedwith a plurality of coupling protrusions 31 each having a downwardlyextending pin shape.

Upon setting the gem stone 10 in the semi-precious stone 20, part of thecoupling protrusions 31 of the metal ring member 30 is inwardly bent,thereby enabling the gem stone 10 to be seated thereon. The metal ringmember 30 with the gem stone 10 seated is then fitted in the centralhole 21 of the semi-precious stone 20. Thereafter, the upper rim of themetal ring member 30 is pressed down such that it is radially inwardlyspread, thereby enabling the gem stone 10 to be set in the semi-preciousstone 20. Thus, the gem stone 10 is set in the semi-precious stone 20.

Because of using complicated and difficult works, the conventionalmethod requires a lot of time and labor. Furthermore, the conventionalmethod has a drawback of deterioration in ornamental beauty of the gemstone because the metal is always interposed between the gem stone andthe semi-precious stone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the invention is to eliminate theabove-mentioned drawbacks involved in the prior art and to provide amethod for setting a gem stone in a semi-precious stone, capable ofachieving an easy setting, thereby greatly reducing the labor and thework time.

In accordance with the present invention, this object can beaccomplished by providing a method for setting a gem stone in asemi-precious stone, comprising the steps of: preparing a gem stonehaving a girdle, and upper and lower tapered surfaces disposed above andbeneath the girdle; preparing a semi-precious stone including an uppersemi-precious stone piece having a hole provided with anupwardly-tapered contact surface having the same taper angle as theupper tapered surface of the gem stone and a lower semi-precious stonepiece having a hole provided with a downwardly-tapered contact surfacehaving the same taper angle as the upper tapered surface of the gemstone; fitting the gem stone in the hole of the lower semi-preciousstone piece such that the lower tapered surface thereof is in contactwith the contact surface of the lower semi-precious stone piece; andbonding the upper semi-precious stone piece to the lower semi-preciousstone piece such that the contact surface of the upper semi-preciousstone piece is in contact with the upper tapered surface of the gemstone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome more apparent upon reading the following detailed specificationand drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a conventionalmethod for setting a gem stone in a semi-precious stone;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a condition that the gem stoneis set in the semi-precious stone in accordance with the conventionalmethod;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a method for setting a gem stonein a semi-precious stone in accordance with the present invention, thegem stone being shown as set in the semi-precious stone;

FIG. 4 is an exploded sectional view illustrating the method of thepresent invention; and

FIGS. 5A to 5C are sectional views respectively illustrating sequentialsetting steps of the method of the present invention, in which

FIG. 5A shows a step of seating the gem stone in a lower semi-preciousstone piece,

FIG. 5B shows a step of applying an adhesive to the lower semi-preciousstone piece, and

FIG. 5C shows a step of bonding an upper semi-precious stone piece tothe lower semi-precious stone piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a method for setting a gem stone in asemi-precious stone in accordance with the present invention. In FIGS. 3and 4, elements corresponding to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted bythe same reference numerals.

In accordance with the present invention, a gem stone 10 is machined tohave upper and lower tapered surfaces disposed above and beneath agirdle 11. A semi-precious stone 20 is provided which comprises an uppersemi-precious stone piece 20a and a lower semi-precious stone piece 20b.As shown in FIG. 4, the upper semi-precious stone piece 20a is machinedto have a hole 21a having an upwardly-tapered contact surface 23a. Thetapered contact surface 23a has the same taper angle as the uppertapered surface of the gem stone 10. Similar to the upper semi-preciousstone piece 20a, the lower semi-precious stone piece 20b is machined tohave a hole 21b having a downwardly-tapered contact surface 23b. Thetapered contact surface 23b has the same taper angle as the lowertapered surface of the gem stone 10. With this construction, the gemstone 10 can be set in the semi-precious stone 20 by fitting the gemstone 10 in the holes 21a and 21b of semi-precious stone pieces 20a and20b, and then bonding the semi-precious stone pieces 20a and 20b to eachother.

Now, the procedures for setting the gem stone 10 in the semi-preciousstone 20 in accordance with the present invention will be described indetail, in conjunction with FIGS. 5A to 5C.

At the first step shown in FIG. 5A, the gem stone 10 is fitted in thehole 21b of the lower semi-precious stone piece 20b such that the lowertapered surface thereof comes into contact with the contact surface 23bof lower semi-precious stone piece 20b. As the lower tapered surface ofthe gem stone 10 comes into contact with the contact surface 23b of thelower semi-precious stone piece 20b, the gem stone 10 is stably seatedon the lower semi-precious stone piece 20b. Thereafter, an adhesive 22is coated on the upper surface of semi-precious stone piece 20b at thesecond step shown in FIG. 5B. Under this condition, the uppersemi-precious stone piece 20a is seated on the lower semi-precious stonepiece 20b such that the contact surface 23a thereof comes into contactwith the upper tapered surface of the gem stone 10. Subsequently, theupper and lower semi-precious stone pieces 20a and 20b are bonded toeach other. Thus the setting of the gem stone 10 in the semi-preciousstone 20 is completed.

As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides amethod for setting a gem stone in a semi-precious stone having aconstruction capable of directly setting the gem stone therein withoutusing any metal setting member. In particular, the semi-precious stoneis constituted by upper and lower semi-precious stone pieces enablingmass production. Therefore, the method of the present invention canreduce the labor and work time required in setting of the gem stone, ascompared with the conventional gem stone setting method requiring manualworks. Since the method of the present invention eliminates the use ofthe metal setting member required in the conventional method, theornamental beauty of a gem stone is more enhanced.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosedfor illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in theaccompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for setting a gem stone in asemi-precious stone, comprising the steps of:preparing a gem stonehaving a girdle and upper and lower tapered surfaces disposed above andbeneath the girdle; preparing a semi-precious stone including an uppersemi-precious stone piece having a hole provided with anupwardly-tapered contact surface having the same taper angle as theupper tapered surface of the gem stone and a lower semi-precious stonepiece having a hole provided with a downwardly-tapered contact surfacehaving the same taper angle as the upper tapered surface of the gemstone; fitting the gem stone in the hole of the lower semi-preciousstone piece such that the lower tapered surface thereof is in contactwith the contact surface of the lower semi-precious stone piece; andbonding the upper semi-precious stone piece to the lower semi-preciousstone piece such that the contact surface of the upper semi-preciousstone piece is in contact with the upper tapered surface of the gemstone.
 2. A method for setting a gem stone in a semi-precious stoneaccording to claim 1, wherein said upper and lower tapered surfacesconverge to each end so that the diameter of the middle portion islarger than that of each end of the gem stone.